Wembanyama scores six triples and seven blocks in Spurs’ loss

SAN ANTONIO — Spurs star Victor Wembanyama couldn’t believe it.

“Really? I’ve never made six three-pointers in a game?” asked.

Wembanyama rebounded from his three-point shooting slump in big fashion Saturday, connecting on a career-high six 3-pointers while producing his second game this season with seven blocks in San Antonio’s 111-110 loss. against the Utah Jazz.

Wembanyama was 6 of 9 from deep and 8 of 15 from the field.

“He made shots that he had missed before. [this season]”Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said. “So, there’s no reaction either way. He is a phenomenal shooter. “We want him to make all those shots.”

Wembanyama, 21, was forced to drop a game-high 24 points and 16 rebounds. The performance marked Wembanyama’s third career game with at least five 3-pointers and five blocks, tying Kristaps Porzingis for second in NBA history behind Raef LaFrentz, who scored four.

Wembanyama also became the second player in league history with six 3-pointers and seven blocks in a game, joining Brook Lopez, who did so in 2017. Wembanyama now has two of the three cases in NBA history in those in which a player scores at least 20 points with 15 rebounds, 5 blocks and 5 three-pointers, and Paul Millsap in 2016 provided the other.

“I don’t think there’s really any way to go,” Wembanyama said. “That’s not how progression happens. I’m not going to shoot 66% in my career. But I’m not going to shoot 25% either. That’s how progression happens. You don’t want to react one way or another.” the other.”

In just his second season, Wembanyama has produced 13 career games with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks, which already ranks third in Spurs franchise history, behind David Robinson ( 117) and Tim Duncan (74). It’s also the most in a player’s first two seasons since 1999, when Duncan produced 14 such performances.

Victor Wembanyama (right) joined Brook Lopez as the only players in NBA history with six three-pointers and seven blocks in a game. Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

Wembanyama entered Saturday shooting just 13 of 41 from 3-point range in its previous five games. But after a 2-of-9 performance from beyond the arc during Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers, Wembanyama insisted his mindset wouldn’t change.

“It’s just about continuing to play my game, and my game is also shooting threes,” he said.

Wembanyama showed it early on, hitting a 25-footer off an assist from Harrison Barnes for San Antonio’s first points. The Frenchman was 2 of 3 from 3-point range in the first quarter, including a 26-foot jumper with 32.7 seconds left, en route to hitting four 3-pointers in the first half, tying his career high for a time. half.

The Spurs attempted a franchise-record 28 3-pointers in the first half.

On defense, Wembanyama posted multiple blocks in a quarter for the 75th and 76th time, recording two in the first quarter and four more in the fourth. His 76 multiple block quarters rank No. 1 in the NBA since last season. Since 1997-98, Robinson and Duncan are the only Spurs with more multiple block quarters (208 and 595, respectively) than Wembanyama.

Wembanyama also became the second Spurs player to average at least 3.5 blocks in the first 10 games of a season, joining Robinson, who accomplished the feat five times in his Hall of Fame career.

Wembanyama got his first block in just 39 seconds, turning away a 17-foot Walker Kessler shot. He recorded another block with 7:20 left in the first quarter, this time on Collin Sexton while attempting a mid-range jumper.

“My pace is there for sure,” Wembanyama said. “But there’s a lot more to winning. It’s just a matter of how well we can combine everything. Once we combine everything, it’s great. But it’s about how often we can do it, and that’s how we can continue to pile up wins. ”

Saturday’s game marked the season debut of fourth-year forward Devin Vassell. Vassell finished with 21 points off the bench on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, with three rebounds and four assists. Vassell had missed the team’s first nine games recovering from right foot surgery in June.

Vassell, the team’s second-leading scorer last season, had not played in a regular-season game since March 29.

“It felt great to be back there, but I have to get familiar with playing with everyone,” Vassell said. “These are people I didn’t play with in training camp. I didn’t practice or anything. We still have a lot of games left. But honestly, I’m glad we’re back playing and we’re getting started.” to turn in the right direction. “I can tell you, I wish we had gotten this one.”

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